Weeks passed in the manor, and Draco wouldn't even look at me. I didn't know what had him so mad this time. Was he honestly that spoiled that his temper-tantrum could last almost a month?

It was the end of the first week in December, and I assumed that Draco was off of school for winter break, since he was around more than usual. He and his mother were no exception to those of the Death Eaters that came to stay with us. His father was still locked away to rot behind bars, the traitor.

I was walking through the manor, my arms full of decorations to hang, humming American Christmas carols. Silver and red tinsel garlands trailed behind me as I drug them through the halls, taking them up at intervals. I was honestly surprised that Father had agreed to letting me decorate the house like he did, though I suspect he didn't know what he had gotten himself into upon our agreement.

I had stolen one of the low stools from the kitchens and was standing on it in one of the halls, hanging some mistletoe, when Draco walked by me. He looked up, and upon seeing me looking back, he snapped his gaze back ahead of him, and walked past, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets.

I sighed, saddened by the fact that in reality, this was all probably my fault by playing too hard to get.

I didn't have the stool close enough to the center, and I went to take a small step to the side to hang the mistletoe, but I caught the edge of the stool, and my ankle rolled, and I tumbled to the ground with a shriek.

Draco was at my side within a moment, his eyes full of worry. "Are you okay? Did you hit your head?"

I winced, holding my ankle with one hand, and holding my wrist to my chest while shaking my head. "No..I think I twisted something..."

In the time it took me to blink again, Draco had scooped my up gently into his arms and was carrying me towards Bella's room. "Bella!" he said, when he was nearing her door.

She pulled it open and gasped when she saw me, and glared at him. "What did you do, boy?"

"Me?" he cried incredulously. "I didn't do anything! She was hanging decorations and she fell!"

Bella gave him a sharp look. "Bring her in here..." As he walked by her she rapped him on the head. "And you call me 'Aunt Bellatrix,' young man."

"Yes, ma'am..." he mumbled, laying me out on her bed. She rapped him again.

"Ow! Sorry.."

"Disrespectful little twit," she muttered, coming to look me over. "Go and fetch my bag from downstairs," she told him.

He growled a little, but turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

I looked up at her and smiled some. She really did love Draco, but seeing as how Bella never had any kids of her own, I wasn't sure that she knew the meaning of the word "maternal."

Draco came back and tossed her bag onto the end of the bed, flopping down into one of the chairs.

She shot him a look before opening the bag and grabbing a few things out. "Let me see your ankle first," she said as she pushed up my skirts, and gently removed the boot. She tutted a little as she rolled my sock down and pulled it off. "It's already swelling..."

She pointed her wand at it, gave a little wave and I felt something pop, making me gasp in pain. She took a wrap bandage out of her bag and wrapped my ankle in it before turning her attention to my wrist. "You can take the ankle wrap off at the end of today, but let me see your wrist."

She took it in her hands and tried to move it. I yelped in pain before biting down on my lip. "Ouch! Knock it off! It doesn't move like that!"

Bella held it gently and pointed her wand at my injury, and she muttered something short, before taking a small brace out of her bag as well and wrapping up my wrist, making it immobile. "That one is broken. I set it, but It needs to heal for a day or so." She passed me two vials of potion, one a mossy green colour, the other a vibrant purple. "The green one is to speed healing, drink it all down now. The other is for pain. Only drink a little at a time, or your whole body will go numb, and that is something I don't want to deal with right now."

I nodded some, drinking the green liquid, which, might I add, tasted as mossy as it looked.

"Can I go?" I asked her softly.

She nodded at me. "Yes, you may." Bella kissed my head and looked me in the eyes. "Just be careful, I don't want anything to happen to you."

I got up and hugged her gently. "Thank you, Auntie Bells."

I limped out of her room and back towards where I had been hanging my stuff, getting back up onto the stool, but using my wand to hang the décor.

Draco walked by me a few moments later, muttering, "You're an idiot."

I bit my lip to not snap back at him, and held my peace.

By the time I had finished, dinner was being served and I limped off towards the dining room. I walked in, people already having started, and walked to the seat beside my father's, sitting down and picking up my fork with my injured hand.

"What...did you do?" he asked. I could tell by his voice that he wanted to sound concerned for me, for my safety.

"I fell off of a stool when I was hanging decorations earlier. Sorry..."

He looked down at me, somewhat amused. "You're apologizing for being clumsy?"

I nodded, looking at my plate, my cheeks pink.

He chuckled at me and motioned to me. "Eat your dinner, clumsy daughter of mine."

I did so, starving.

Dinner was long and boring. Father was engrossed in conversations with the majority of his followers, Bella was wrapped up in a conversation with her sister Narcissa, and Draco was chattering excitedly to his friend Blaise Zabini about Quidditch.

Blaise's father was a Death Eater, so he too was staying at the manor this winter, much to the delight of Draco.

I was grateful when we were dismissed. Draco and Zabini ran outside to burn off their meal. I slowly stood, pushing in my chair and excusing myself from my father, and headed outside as well. I didn't want to be around the two boys, but I wanted some fresh air, and to be out in the snow. I loved the snow.

I got outside, and saw the two throwing snowballs back and forth at each other, laughing and being rowdy boys.

I found one of the stone benches, a good distance from them, and brushed it off, sitting down to watch them.

All through dinner, I had been thinking about Draco, and how he actually came back to see if I was okay, and then took me to Bella. He could have kept walking. In fact, that was what I expected of him. But he surprised me. He came back. And he carried me to Bella. I had finally resolved to just be nice to him. To be nice and to hope that I didn't screw things up too bad. I did want to be with him. I had no idea why, it's not like the guy was Prince Charming or anything, but I found myself always drawn to him.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by a snowball hitting me in the side of the head. My eyes snapped over to Draco and Zabini, both were smirking. I offered Draco a small smile, and when he saw it, his harsh smirk dissolved into a smile.

"Hey...What was that for?" I said, brushing the wet snow out of my hair.

"To get your attention," Draco called back, pulling himself up and over the side of the snow fortress he'd built for protection.

"It's got."

He grinned and came over to me. "Good."

"Hi," I said softly looking up into his eyes, giving him a soft smile.

"Hi," he said, grinning back.

"Draco," I said after a moment, but he cut me off.

"Please, please, let me make this work between us.

I giggled some. "Okay."

He looked like I had just smacked him with something. "R-really?" he said in awe.

I nodded some, more of the snow falling out of my hair.

He grinned at me, happily, as he sat down beside me.

We sat there, awkwardly grinning at each other for a few moments, neither knowing how to react to the other.

"You should go back to your game," I suggested. "Blaise looks lonely."

"No, I'm good right here," he said, taking my hand and kissing it.

I giggled a little as another snowball came in our direction and hit Draco's shoulder. We both looked over at Zabini, who looked to be pouting.

"I can see that my fun is over!" he yelled.

Draco made a face at him. "Isn't your girlfriend here somewhere too?"

"Yeah, but I miss my bloke time! Pansy's too whiney!" he whined.

I made a face. Draco left Pansy, and Blaise started dating her? Why would anyone want her? She looked like a dog who ran into a wall.

Draco rolled his eyes, but kissed me on the cheek. "Give me two hours, then I'll come to your room?"

I nodded. "Yeah, sure, have fun," I said as he gave my hand a squeeze, and ran towards his friend, knocking him backwards into a snowbank and beating him up.

I laughed some and headed back inside to get warm, and I couldn't keep from smiling. I could get used to the feeling of being happy all of time.

I limped up to my room and took some of the purple potion before getting a shower. When I got done, I wrapped my wrist again, and pulled on a pair of sweatpants and an old tank top.

I brushed out my hair, talking to Bo about what had happened.

"So...You finally gave in," he teased me, hissing at me from his usual post.

"Yeah yeah...hush up. He saved my life today."

"You fell off of a stool, not the Eiffel Tower."

"I could have hit my head and lay there bleeding to death!" I defended.

"Yes, but you didn't."

"Yes, but I could have."

He laughed some. "What will you tell your father?"

"I...oh shit," I muttered.

There was knock on my door, and I assumed that the two hours had passed and Draco was coming up to meet me.

I went over to my door and pulled it open, seeing him. My heart fluttered at the sight of him. "Hi," I said dreamily.

"Hi," he said with a grin, kissing me quickly before coming in and shutting the door. "You look nice," he said as he looked at me.

I giggled some. "I just got out of the shower... How was the snow?"

"Fun. I kicked Blaise's arse!"

I giggled and gave him a small peck. "Good job!"

He grinned at me and pulled me down onto his lap as he sat on my chair. "Your laugh is cute."

"Thanks..."

He nodded. "You're welcome." He kissed my cheek.

"So you really want to make this work, don't you?" I asked, my arms around his neck as I looked into his face.

"Yes. Very much so."

"Why?" I asked, curious of the answer.

"Draco," I said, trying to be fair, "don't you think-"

"Think what? That I'm moving too fast, that I'm not thinking straight? I'm the player. I'm the bloke, just looking for a quick hook up, a one night girl. But when I see you, I don't think like that. I feel this strong pull to be near you, to be with you, to know you..."

I smiled at him, knowing that those words had to be true. He said them so strongly, so forcefully, and his eyes were glittering with adoration towards me. He couldn't be lying.

"I want to do this to. I want to be with you. I always have."

He took one of my hands in his and brought it to his lips, kissing it, making me smile. "I just want to ask you something."

"Yeah, sure. Anything."

"We've already done the sex thing. Over and over and over...Can we just do the relationship thing now?" I said quietly, knowing that it was a lot to ask of from him.

He smiled a little, and nodded. "Yeah, we can."

I grinned at him and kissed his cheek, jumping up. "Then, I shall leave the telling of my father to you!"

He made a noise. "Gee, thanks..." But when I looked at him, he was smiling.

"You want to be with me, you have to be a man."

He nodded some. "I know."

I nodded once back at him. "Good. Now, you let me get dressed, and go talk to Father."

He kissed my head quick before disappearing out of my door.

"You just sent him on a suicide mission," Boa hissed.

I laughed. "I did not. Father won't kill him. He knows how I feel."

"And how is that?" he asked, following me with his eyes as I walked around my room, looking for my pajamas.

"I think I may...you know."

"No, I don't." I could hear a smirk in his voice.

I groaned. "Don't make me say it."

"Say what?"

"That I love him," I said with a small grin.

Bo hissed happily. "Well, I'm glad you finally admit it. It's taken you long enough. Six months..."

I scratched his chin and gave him a kiss as Draco knocked once and came back in. "Done and done."

"Really?" I said, a little surprised.

He nodded. "Yeah. We talked."

"You...talked?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yes. But there are 'conditions.'"

"Okaayy... Like?"

"First, I can't cheat on you, or he'll kill me. Not that I would ever dream of it anyway," he added quickly as I gave him a look. "I would never cheat on you," he assured before continuing. "Second, we can't have sex or get you pregnant before we're older and married if it comes to that. Sounds like a nice heart to heart, right?" he said with a chuckle.

"Well, when it comes to the Dark Lord, that is a heart to heart," I said with a smile. I went over to him and put my hand on his chest, looking up into his eyes. "I can't believe you actually had the balls to go in...and to actually talk to my father, like a man, face to face. I...I don't think anyone has ever done something so sweet for me before."

He smiled down at me, taking my hand. "I had to."

"Why?"

"Because it was the only way that I could be with you."

"Aaand?"

"I care about you."

"Aaaaaand?" I promted, wanting to hear him say it again.

"Um...it was the proper thing to do? Help me out a little..."

I laughed some, and shook my head, kissing his chest. I pulled away to go to my other set of drawers to find my elusive night gown.

He scooped me up into his arms. "And because I love you," he said, kissing me.

"Good answer," I muttered into his lips, kissing him back.

He held me for a bit, kissing me gently. "You should probably go to bed. He'll be pissed if he finds me here too late."

I pouted as he sat me on the bed to look up at him. "Aww..."

He chuckled and flopped beside me on my bed. "I was just saying."

I smiled, grabbing my hairbrush and a hair tie from my bedside table, brushing out my hair and humming a little as I sat on the edge of the bed. Draco was laying behind me on his side, propped up on one elbow, stroking my back.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered gently to me.

I just smiled, as I looked out of the window at the starry night sky.

"Do you want to go for a walk tomorrow, through the woods?" he asked me after a few moments of silence."

"Yeah, sounds fun. In the woods, through the snow. So long as you don't get a one horse open sleigh. I'm not really one for the cute romantic sort of things."
He laughed. "Hell no."

I laughed. "So.. You know my mark isn't the same as yours?"

He sat up some as I pulled my hair up into a high, sloppy bun. "It's not?"

I shook my head and showed him my arms. He smirked mischievously. "This could be fun. Let's play find Layla's Dark Mark..." He kissed the back of my neck, making me shiver.

I pulled away from him. "Stoppit!"

He grinned. "Where is it?"

I pulled up my tank and showed him the elaborate mark that took up most of my side. His jaw dropped.

"He did that?"

I nodded. "Yeah. It didn't take too long, but it burned like crazy."

"I bet..." He put his hand on it and pulled me to him, kissing me hungrily.

I grinned into his lips and kissed back, making out with him for a while.

Around midnight, Draco looked over at me, stroking my hair. "I should go."

"Aww..." I said, sleepily.

I heard him laugh softly from above me as he pulled my covers up over me. "I'll see you in the morning." He kissed me gently. "Goodnight."

"Night," I said with a yawn as he walked towards my door. He turned off the light in my room and shut the door behind him gently.

I smiled and close my eyes, burying my face in the pillow beside me, that smelled exactly like him.